Where Are Your Steps Taking You?

What is your purpose in life? Why did God put you on this earth at this specific time? Why are you at the job you are at? What path are you suppose to take in the future? These are all great questions that God has answers to! Unfortunately, He doesn't always lay it out in front of us in a daily map! Wouldn't that be nice!

Many of us live life in a monotonous fashion. We get up way too early for our taste and fumble our way in the dark to find that ever so hidden light switch. We drag ourselves with eyes clenched over to the coffee machine, where we beg for a cup to brew quickly and go through the tedious motions of getting ready for our day. We get to our job and force our way through each boring task, waiting for that final "bell" to ring. We then drive home, plop ourselves in front of the tv, and finally fall asleep. We awake, yet again, as we begrudgingly start the next day all over again. This humdrum life we live becomes meaningless and overall depressing!

What is God's purpose for us? What are we missing in our average day to day? Many of us think that to be called by God we have to be a missionary, out in the trenches, fighting to survive to tell others about Christ. But, if we are all missionaries, where are the doctors to take care of us if we are sick? Well, then we have to be pastors, standing in front of the pulpit to be used by God! Nope! If we were all pastors, who would fight those fires when your crazy cooking gets out of hand? God has called us to be the light right where He has placed us. He hasn't called us all to be missionaries overseas, but He might be calling you to pray for the person in that cubicle next to you and invite them to church. He may not have called you to be a pastor, but He may be asking you to help a needy family during the holiday season.

If life has become a daily chore for you, I encourage to stop and look around you this holiday season. What is your purpose for being at your job? I am not talking about the importance of your job from an earthly standpoint; I am talking about the spiritual reason that God has placed you where you are each day? Who do you see? Really look into the eyes of that Starbucks barista handing you that coffee each morning. Why did God put them in front of you that day? Why did you drive by that accident on the way to work? Was it because of your strong CPR skills? No, take a moment to pray for the people involved and remember them throughout the day. Who knows where they will eternally be that day.

I charge you to open your eyes daily. Truly take a moment to really look at each person that crosses your path, listen carefully to those people on the phone that you may be helping pay their bill, or observe the co-worker that might be struggling that day. What can you do for them? If nothing physically, then may we always remember to pray for those around us, for God has a purpose for you and for them. God does not make mistakes and has ordered your steps and theirs. Where are your steps taking you today?

Psalm 90: 10& 12 "The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away...So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom."

Find Your Passion!

Have you ever noticed when others or yourself are working out of obligation instead of passion, and the fire for what they are doing is just...out? Whether it be your job, church, family, or other obligations, even if the person is great at what they do, and people can find them irreplaceable, it is not where their joy is...their spark for it is....dead. God has been showing me, as I watch others, the difference between being great at something out of obligation and being great at something with a passion! Those are two totally different things! One is like going through the motions and the other is going above and beyond with a smile on your face, joy in your heart and a spring in your step! What are your passions? Are you going through the motions because you are great at what you do? Are you enduring and just passing the days? ...Or are you striving for that passion that only God gives through His calling?

If you find yourself complaining more about what you are doing than finding actual joy in it, then it is time to reevaluate! This is not to say that you won't have bad days and times where you second guess your choice...we all have those days and shouldn't run on emotion. But....if you feel like you are just going through the motions, then I encourage you today to pick up that pen and write a poem, paint a picture, jump out of that plane, run with the bulls, and tomorrow, play in the snow...all with a smile on your face and joy in your heart! Find the passion that God has stirred in you and begin to pursue it!

"Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails” (Proverbs 19:21).